EU lawmakers voted on Wednesday to challenge the European Unions contentiousfree trade agreementwith South America in the blocs top court, a move that could delay the deal by two years and potentially derail it.
The European Union signed its largest-ever trade pact withMercosurmembersArgentina,Brazil, Paraguay andUruguayon Saturday. The agreement still requires approval before it can take effect.
Opponents, led byFrance, the EUs largest agricultural producer,say the deal will sharply increase imports of cheap beef, sugar and poultry, undercutting domestic farmers who have staged repeated protests.
Read moreEU and Mercosur bloc sign landmark free trade deal after 25 years of negotiations
Legal challenge
A group of 144 lawmakers put forward a parliamentary motion to ask the EU Court of Justice to rule on whether the agreement can be applied before full ratification by all member states and whether its provisions restrict the EUs ability to set environmental and consumer health policies. The court typically takes around two years to deliver such opinions.
The European Parliament backed the motion with 334 votes in favour to 324 against, with 11 abstentions.
If referred to the court, the EU could still apply the pact provisionally pending the ruling and parliamentary approval. But doing so could prove politically difficult given the likely backlash, and theEuropean Parliamentwould retain the power to annul it later.
Supporters including Germany and Spain point to US President Donald Trumps disruption of global trade. They argue the deal is essential to offset business lost to UStariffsand to reduce reliance on China by securing access to criticalminerals. They also warn that Mercosur governments are losing patience with the EU after years of negotiations.
(FRANCE 24 with Reuters)
Originally published on France24
